Find Augusta Court Records
Augusta operates as a consolidated city-county government under Augusta-Richmond County, which means court records for the city are filed through the Richmond County court system. This guide explains how to search Augusta court records using online databases and in-person options at the courthouse, covering civil filings, criminal cases, and municipal court matters across the consolidated government.
Augusta Quick Facts
Augusta Court Records and the Consolidated Government
In 1996, Augusta and Richmond County merged into a single consolidated government. That consolidation affects how court records are organized. There is no separate "City of Augusta" court system - instead, all Superior Court filings, civil matters, and criminal cases go through Richmond County's judicial structure. The Augusta Municipal Court still operates as a separate body, handling city-level ordinance violations, traffic citations, and other local matters. But for most records searches, Richmond County is the right starting point.
The consolidated government's main website at augustaga.gov provides contact information for various departments, including the courts. For court-specific records, the Richmond County Superior Court Clerk maintains the official filing index. You can locate the clerk's contact details through the Find My Clerk tool operated by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Association. This tool is useful if you're unsure which office handles a specific type of case.
Augusta's court records go back well over a century. For modern filings, the online tools covered below are the fastest route. For older records, direct contact with the Richmond County Clerk is typically required.
Searching Augusta Court Records Online
The primary tool for searching Augusta court records online is the GSCCCA search portal. Maintained by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, this database aggregates index-level records from Superior Courts across Georgia, including Richmond County. You can search by party name or case number at no cost. The index tells you what was filed and when. To read the actual documents, you'll use PeachCourt, which offers document copies at $0.50 per page for cases filed since approximately 2005.
The image below shows the GSCCCA homepage, which is the main entry point for statewide Georgia court record searches including Augusta-Richmond County.
From the GSCCCA portal, you can navigate directly to Richmond County Superior Court records using the county filter on the search page.
For Augusta Municipal Court matters - traffic tickets, city ordinance cases - the Georgia municipal ticket portal lets you locate and pay fines online. If you need case details beyond payment status, contact Augusta Municipal Court directly through the consolidated government's court services division. The Georgia Judicial Gateway at georgiacourts.gov is another resource that links to court-specific websites and provides procedural information for each court level in Georgia.
Types of Augusta Court Records
Richmond County Superior Court holds Augusta's felony criminal records, civil case files, domestic relations matters, and real property filings. Criminal records include indictments, arraignments, pleas, judgments, and sentencing orders. Civil records cover lawsuits, contract disputes, and personal injury cases. Family law cases - divorce decrees, child support orders, adoption records - are also filed at Superior Court. These records are generally public unless sealed by court order.
Augusta Municipal Court records are a separate category. They include traffic citations, city ordinance violations, minor criminal matters, and related judgment records. These tend to be shorter documents but are just as public. Contact the court's clerk to request copies. Have the citation number or defendant name ready when you call, as it speeds up the search considerably.
Georgia's open records statute, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, establishes the right of any person to inspect or copy public records held by state and local agencies. Courts are covered by this law. If you request a record and the clerk declines to provide it, they are required to cite a specific legal exemption. Most Augusta court records do not fall under any exemption and should be accessible upon request.
In-Person Records Access in Augusta
For certified copies or records that predate online systems, visiting the Richmond County Courthouse in person is often necessary. The courthouse is located in downtown Augusta. Bring photo identification and any case information you have - names, approximate dates, and case numbers help staff locate records faster. Certified copies carry a per-page fee set by the clerk's office.
Older case files may be stored off-site or in archived form. If the clerk indicates a file has been archived, ask about the retrieval timeline and whether it can be sent to the courthouse for pickup. Some archives can be accessed within a day or two; others may take longer depending on storage location and staff availability.
Georgia's Superior Court Clerks maintain a shared online presence that reflects record availability across counties. The site below shows how clerk offices across the state, including Richmond County, are organized and accessible.
The clerk locator tool on this site can confirm the address, hours, and contact details for the Richmond County Clerk's office before you make a trip.
Legal Aid in Augusta
Georgia Legal Services Program serves Augusta and the surrounding region. They provide free civil legal help to income-qualifying residents. For criminal matters, the Augusta Judicial Circuit Public Defender's office handles indigent defense. The Augusta Bar Association may also have referral resources for those who need private representation.
Self-represented litigants can find form packets and procedural guides at the courthouse law library or through the Georgia courts website. Court staff can help you find the right forms but cannot give legal advice. If your case is complex, getting at least a brief consultation with an attorney before filing is worth the time.
Richmond County Court Records
All Augusta Superior Court filings are held by Richmond County under the consolidated Augusta-Richmond County government. The county page has full clerk contact details, courthouse location, and additional search guidance for Richmond County court records.